What does it mean to be a fox terrier in 2022?
This important issue has been a subject of much debate in the Gail and Bertie household all week, prompted by the fact that a fox appears to have taken up residence in our inner city neighbourhood in Aberdeen.
We have seen the fox a couple of times on our walks, and Gail even managed to catch it on camera on Tuesday evening.
I don't know if you are already aware, but us fox terriers were bred as working dogs, our role in fox hunting being to flush foxes from their earths, so that they could then be chased by humans on horses together with a pack of fox hounds, and torn to pieces by said hounds.
So it is to my great disappointment that whenever we see our local fox, Gail grabs my lead extra tight to prevent me from following the fox to its earth and then obeying my natural instincts.
Gail's reasoning is that hunting foxes with hounds in the 'traditional' way is now illegal in the UK, and even if it were not, the horse riders and hounds would have a hard time chasing their prey through our city streets. So she says I have to accept that, as with the Luddites and coal miners in the UK before me, my traditional occupation is now redundant.
Although I still find this hard to swallow, I am somewhat persuaded by the argument that my position as spoiled domestic pet, with lap, bed and treat privileges, frequent walks, and one-on-one attention to all my needs, is a more or less acceptable substitute...
Happy Nature Friday friends!
Do join the ever wonderful LLB Gang's blog hop.
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteWell, Bertie, I have to agree with Gail's assessment of your place in life of 2022... but gracious, that fox looks like it is making itself very much at home... so pawhaps we ought also to give a thought to how life for foxes is much changed in our century's twenties? Hugs and wags, YAM-aunty xxx
the mama sadly would do the same... all what we can do is to sing fox on the run by da sweets... sigh...
ReplyDeleteWhat a bummer that Gail won't allow you to give chase, Bertie.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago there were fox in our neighborhood and they would follow us around. We found them quite creepy. We didn't want to chase them at all.
ReplyDeleteMy, the fox looks large and well-fed. Those are great photo catches! And, Bertie, I agree, you have the ideal life, even absent fox hunting.
ReplyDeleteJumpin' Foxes that is a fox. Obviously his GPS needs a serious reset. He is lucky you are on a lead firmly held by your Gail...otherwise he would surely be in a world of hurt.
ReplyDeleteBertie OMCs we saw 87 dogs on our walk yesterday at Shelley Lake and WAIT for it.....
a herd of Deer. Well I don't know how many it takes to make a herd but there were at least 9 or 10. I'll be downloading the photos today
Hugs cecilia
how exciting to see a fox. we have seen a coyote which is much bigger and was very scary to me. I think you are better off in the lap of luxury than chasing down a fox. besides i think the fox is much happier also.. does this mean you walk after dark like in the photos? beau says his mama will not walk him in the dark
ReplyDeleteGail says: I regularly walk Bertie in the dark. After all, it is dark most of the time here in winter - remember we are on the same latitude as the southern part of Alaska!
DeleteWe have a fox family that lives on our property, but we live on 5 acres and there is plenty of open space around us. We've never been outside when we've seen the foxes so we've never tried to chase them but we do bark at them.
ReplyDeleteMy human agrees with Gail - and you do have the most splendid life Bertie. You're a very lucky boy.
ReplyDeleteIt can't be much fun for poor Mr Fox to be chased all over the place by any dog, or human beings on horses.
I don't think we have many foxes here, but my human says she saw one a long time ago. It used to live on a piece of land nearby when this was almost countryside. Now it's being used to build houses and the poor fox must have moved on. So sad, I'd love to see one, and wonder if I'd feel like chasing it, even though my human wouldn't let me!
Love,
Inca xx
First, WOW...we have never seen a fox before. He looks pretty well fed too!!
ReplyDeleteWe're with you, we do like our "spoiled house pet" status and don't think we would like to actually have to "work"!
xoxo,
Rosy,Sunny & Jakey
Well, I understand your frustration Bertie, but, honestly, would you actually be up to defeating it if you caught it - and coping with it biting YOU??
ReplyDeleteI've photos of a fox, taken from the second floor window of friends' home in Camden Town, and others from the window of friends in central Bristol, so I have no trouble believing your photos! No wild foxes in New Zealand. Stoats and weasels do awful damage though. And possums. Dreadful, disease-ridden things.
I am sure during your younger days you would handle that fox but now its time to let the younger dogs handle it.
ReplyDeleteBeing terriers, we think you should be able to chase a fox.
ReplyDeleteI can understand your problem. I am a cocker spaniel, the smallest of the hunting doggies group. In my younger years, I would catch birds, mice, and rabbits and present them to my humans with great pride. I'd get the feeling they would rather I didn't catch other creatures, but it's in my genes. Oh, and my ghostwriter says she sometimes sees foxes along the country roads when she drives home from work at night.
ReplyDeleteWhat a handsome and well-fed fox you have sighted there! We have one too in our woods we see from time to time, but yours looks bigger!
ReplyDelete